US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad arrives in Islamabad

WASHINGTON: US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has arrived in Islamabad a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan received a letter from US President Donald Trump, seeking Pakistan’s help in Afghan peace talks, ARY News reported.

According to the US State Department, Mr. Khalilzad will hold talks with the civil-military leadership of Pakistan and exchange views on ways to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan.

The US envoy will travel to Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar during his 18-day tour, from Dec 2 to 20.

And I’m off again: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Watch this space for updates on our efforts to support & facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan. https://t.co/hf1ftW4Wzb

— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) December 3, 2018

The state department statement said: “Special Representative Khalilzad will be in communication with President Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah, and other Afghan stakeholders to coordinate closely on efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table with the Afghan government and other Afghans.”

The US special representative to Afghanistan will meet Afghan government officials and other parties to work on Afghan peace process.

The US envoy last visited the region in November, where he met with members of the Afghan civil society and other government officials.

On December 3, US President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking Pakistan’s help in bringing Taliban leadership to the negotiation table.

In a letter, Trump sought assistance from Pakistan in resolving Afghan issue, aimed at ending the 17-year invasion of Afghanistan by the US troops.

In a headline-making spat, US president launched an outburst against Pakistan on November 19 alleging that America paid Pakistan billions of dollars and they never told them that Osama was living there.

“Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton famously missed his shot. We paid Pakistan Billions of Dollars & they never told us he was living there. Fools!

Prime Minister Khan hit back at President Donald Trump’s statement against Pakistan by saying that instead of making Pakistan a scapegoat for US failures, the Trump administration should do a serious assessment of why the Taliban are stronger in Afghanistan than before.

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